Switch structure for lamps



June 5, 1951 M, A, BEATHAN 2,556,023

SWITCH STRUCTURE FOR LAMPS Filed May 20", 1947 I I "I 32 J4 r39 1 2% [Mf s3 Z 27 34 /6, I5 [2 22 l' 22 I II 23 II 28 25 N 24 2/ 2 24 /k\ y I WWam Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE This inventionrelates to a switch-operating structure for lamps, and more particularlyto an attachment adapted to be applied to a boudoir lamp or the like toenable the switch mechanism of the lamp to be operated with greaterfacility and convenience.

In many small table lamps, such as boudoir lamps, the lamp bulb ismounted in a vertically disposed. socket, and a reciprocable switch baris movably mounted in the socket below the bulb, this switch bar beingmoved in one direction to extinguish the lamp and in the other directionto light the lamp, the bar being adapted to remain in either position towhich it is moved and ofiering resistance to movement from suchposition.

Lamps of this type are very often provided with a shade, and it is ofteninconvenient to operate the switch bar in that it is disposed below theshade where it is not readily accessible and also not visible.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide aswitch-operating attachment for such a lamp, the attachment being soconstructed that it may be applied universally to practically all lampsof this type and so arranged that the switch bar referred to may beoperated by push rods or push buttons accessible at the top of the shadewhere they not only may be conveniently operated but where they may bereadily seen. Briefly, the device comprises a support consisting of twoupright brackets, one upon each side of the lamp socket, and anintegrally formed clamping means for securing the support to the lampsocket. In each of the bracket members is movably mounted a push rodwhich is suitably guided for movement in a vertical direction, or in adirection parallel to the axis of the lamp socket. These rods extendupwardly, and upon their upper ends are provided with adjustable pushbuttons whereby the height of the buttons may be regulated, so that theystand at approximately the upper level of the top of the shade, wherebythey will be visible for operation, particularly in their upperpositions, but, at the same time. will not protrude to a sufiicientdistance to be unsightly. Moreover, the supporting structure is soconstructed that it may be manufactured economically, so that the entireattachment may be available at a relatively low cost.

One object of the present invention is to provide a switch-operatingattachment for lamps, which will render the operation of the switch moreconvenient. A

7 Claims. (Cl. MIL-123) A further object of the invention is to providean attachment readily applicable to boudoir lamps or the like employinga reciprocable switch bar, which attachment provides means for operatingthe switch bar from a point adjacent the upper end of the bulb oradjacent the upper portion of the shade if one is employed on the lamp.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a switch-operatingattachment for lamps of the class described, which will render theoperation of the lamp switch more convenient, and which, at the sametime, may be economically manufactured, so that it may be made availableat a relatively low cost.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a lamp with my attachment appliedthereto, the lamp shade being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, with the lamp bulbremoved; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view or" the lampsocket, showing the manner of securing the attachment in place.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown inFig. l of the drawings a lamp of the boudoir type having a base orpedestal Ill to which is secured in upright position a socket II. A lampbulb I2 is disposed in the socket in the usual way, and a shade 13 ofany usual form is shown in connection with the lamp, the shade in thisinstance being secured in place by clamping wires [4 which engage thebulb.

My attachment comprises a support consisting of a pair of bracketmembers I5 and I6, one disposed at each side of the socket ll. Thesebracket members may be made of sheet metal, and, as shown, extendgenerally in a vertical direction. Integrally formed with the members I5and I6 is a clamp comprising an open band or ring ll, the adjacent freeends of the ring being i turned outwardly, as shown at l8.

It will be understood that as is usual, the clamping ring I! may beexpanded to enable the ring to be slipped upon the socket and thereaftercontracted, so that it may be caused to bind upon the socket in order tosupport the attachment in place. This function may readily beaccomplished by a clamping member [9 having an elliptical opening 20therein through which the outwardly turned ends 18 of the ring I!extend. It

3 will be understood that, when the clamping member 19 stands in thedotted-line position, shown in Fig. 3, the ends ill of the ring willstand in the direction of the lower axis of the elliptical opening 20and permit the ring to expand, so that it may be slipped upon the socketll. However, when th member [9 is turned into the plane of the ring orinto the full-line position, shown in Fig. 3, the adjacent ends it willbe brought together, and thus the ring will be clamped securely upon thesocket.

As is usual in lamps of this kind, a switch bar 2! is reciprocablymounted in the socket H, the switch bar being moved longitudinally inone direction or the other to close or open the switch to control thelamp. Upon the lower portion of each of the members and [6 a lever22'ispivoted at 23, each of these levers being provided with a dependingportion 22 adapted to engageag'ainst one end of the switch bar 2!, andeach lever is also provided with a substantially horizontally disposedportion or arm 25 which extends at substantially right angles to-the arm26.

Adjacent the upper and lower. ends of each of the supporting brackets l5and it, the metal of the Ibrackets'm'aybe'turned laterally orhorizontally, as shown in the drawings, to provide guide lugs 27 and 28,each of these lugs having an opening 23 therein through which extends apush rod 30. The lower ends of these push rods engage the arms 25 01?the levers 22, so as to operate these levers when the rodsare pusheddownwardly.

The upper ends of each of the rods 36 may be threaded as shown at 3|,and adjustably secured on each rod is a push button 32 provided at itslower end'w-ith'a nut 33 adapted to be threaded upon the portion 3i ofthe rods 30. If desired, a lock nut 34 may also be threaded upon therods 3!! in order to lock the push buttons 32 in adjusted position andprevent any tendency of these push buttons to be turned in the operationof the switch, and thus inadvertently move upwardly or downwardly whensuch adjustment is not desired. It will, of course, be understood that,if desired, the'push buttons 32, which are hollow to receive the rods 31may be interiorly threaded for adjustmentupon these rods and the nut 33omitted. In either event, they would be adjustable, so that the positionof the upper ends of the push buttons 32 could be regulated, so thatthey stand at substantially the same height as the upper portion of theshade;

the operation of the device, it may be assumed that the parts will standin the position shown in Fig. 1 when the lamp is extinguished, and theleft h'and button 32 is in a depressed position. The lower end of therod 30 will engage the upper surface of the arm 25 of the correspondingbell crank'lever 22 as will also the rod 30 on the right-hand side ofthe device. The parts will remain in this position due to the resistanceof the switch bar 2] to movement, although it will be understood that,as the parts are of very light construction, there will be littletendency for the switch bar to be moved by the weight of the push rods.It will be seen that, in this position of the parts, the upper end ofthe righthand push button 32 standsslightly above the top of the shadewhere it may be readily seen and lamp and move the switch barlongitudinally of its axis, which will'in the'usu'al mannerefiect' the 4closing of the lamp switch. After this operation, the button 32 at theright-hand side of the lamp will stand in a depressed position, and thebutton 32 at the left-hand side of the lamp will then be in a. raisedposition where it is readily accessible for operation as it will benecessary to operate this button to extinguish the lamp. If desired, thepush buttons may be made of different colors, such as red and white, toindicate which oneshould' be pressed to light the lamp.

As shown more especially in Fig. 2" of the drawings, the levers 22 maybe provided with slotted portions 35 to receive the lower ends ofthebracket memberS l5 and I6, so that a part of these levers will bedisposed upon each side of the'bra'cket, and the pivot pin 23 willextend through the bracket, so as to engage the levers on both sidesthereof and thus effect a more 'balancedarrangement of the parts.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment ofjm invention,it will be understood thatitis not to-be limited to all of the detailsshown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit ofthe invention and within the scope of-the claims.

What I claim is: a

1. In combination with a lamp socket having areciprocablehorizontallymovable switch bar; a support, means for attaching the support to thesocket, a" substantially vertically disposed push rod movably mounted inthe support at each side of the socket, and-means operably connectingeach ofsaid rodstothe-switch bar to actuate the latter in oppositedirections by movement of the rods.

2. In combination with a lamp socket having a reciprocable" horizontallymovable switch bar, a. bracket member disposed on each side of saidsocket, clamping means formed integrally with said members to attachthem to the socket, a substantially vertically disposed push rod movablymounted on each of the bracket members, means transmittingmotion fromsaid rodsto the switch bar, and guide'lu'gs formed integrally with thebracket membersto guide said rods intheir movements.

3. In combination with a lamp socket having a reciprocable horizontallymovable switch bar; a support, means for attaching the support to thesocket, a substantially vertically disposed push rod movably'mou'ntedinthesupport at each side of the socket, means operably connecting eachof saidrod's tothe switch bar to actuate the latrods, and a push buttonadjustably secured to the outer 'endo'f each of the push rod'sto actuatethe latter.

4. In combination with a lamp socket having aieoiprocable horizontallymovable switch bar, a support, means'for attaching the su port to thesocket; a substantially vertically disposed push rod-movably mountedinthe support at each side of the socket, and ineans oper'ably connectingeach of said rods to the switch bar to actuate' means forattachiii'gth'e brackets to the socket,

a push rod mounted for substantially vertical movement upon each of saidbrackets, a lever pivoted upon each bracket adjacent the lower end ofthe push rods, said lever having one extending in a substantiallyvertical direction to engage one end of said switch bar, and a secondarm extending in a substantially horizontal direction to lie below andbe engaged by the lower end of the push rod.

6. In combination with a lamp socket, the axis of which is disposed in asubstantially vertical position, and having a reciprocable switch barmovable in a horizontal direction, an upright bracket disposed at eachside of said socket, means for attaching the brackets to the socket, apush rod mounted for substantially vertical movement upon each of saidbrackets, a lever pivoted upon each bracket adjacent the lower end ofthe push rods, said lever having one arm extending in a substantiallyvertical direction to engage one end of said switch bar, a second armextending in a substantially horizontal direction to lie below and beengaged by the lower end of the push rod, and means integrally formedwith said bracket members and extending horizontally therefrom forguiding the push rods in their vertical movements.

7. In combination with a lamp socket having a reciprocable horizontallymovable switch bar,

Number a bracket member disposed on each side of said socket, clampingmeans formed integrally with members to attach them to the socket, asubstantially vertically disposed push rod movably mounted on each. ofthe bracket members, means transmitting motion from said rods to theswitch bar, said clamping means comprising an open ring embracing saidsocket, the adjacent ends of said ring being turned outwardly, and aclamping lever having an elliptical opening in which the outwardlyturned ends of said ring are received.

MARK A. BEATHAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Re. 7,546 Sheppard Mar. 6, 1877 25,800Beach Oct. 18, 1859 1,136,239 Klein Apr. 20, 1915 1,470,620 Hugh Oct.16, 1923 1,657,153 Dann Jan. 24, 1928 2,258,032 Popp Oct.. 7, 19412,267,895 Boynton Dec. 30, 1941

